50 Greatest Independent Films

UK movie mag Empire has published a list of the 50 independent (in both financing and "spirit") films that it calls "great." Turning their huge pile of films into an orderly top 50, they explain, "[took] into account the quality of the film, the circumstances behind its production, the achievement of the filmmakers despite monetary and logistical constraints and its influence on subsequent projects." So there we have it:  let the arguing begin.

The only one on the list that I really couldn't live without is sex, lies, and videotape (#7). A quick calculation shows that I've seen it roughly one billion times, and that my movie life would truly be very different without it - I was sort of a late bloomer, movie-wise, and I think sex, lies was the first film I actually sat down and thought about afterwards. Like, a lot. I had no idea what to think of it, so I saw it about four times the first week it came out. Subsequent viewings let me down assorted, odd paths to dark places where The Idolmaker lives, and people say "it looks like a tablecloth, but it's a nice dress" and "I just keep thinking about the garbage" more than they ever should. I still didn't know what to think, really, but I knew I dug this whole indie film thing.

So, now that I've agreed with one of the top ten, I've got a quibble:  they say these are "influential" films, great for what they meant to the movies that followed. Under those circumstances, I'm totally on board with seeing things like Reservoir Dogs (#1) and Usual Suspects (#8) on the list, though as years have passed their initial power has faded. But if Empire is talking influence, where in the hell is Jean-Pierre Melville? Where is Roger Vadim? I mean, ...And God Created Woman is a fairly crummy movie, but it was a key to the French New Wave. And Melville was one of the only people in France working outside of studios in the pre-New Wave days - is that not as important as Reservoir Dogs?

So, take a look at the list and rant away - I'm quite sure everyone can find something both spot-on and totally moronic in the 50.